Peter Berg and NBC Are Getting Into the Henchman Business

It’s not based on an existing comic book, but it sure sounds like it could have been. Something, say, from Kurt Busiek of “Astro City” fame, or someone else who can think outside the box.

Anywyas, NBC is getting back into the superhero business, except this time the lead won’t be a superhero, but rather a henchman. “Hench” is from producers Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey, and will be written by Alexandra Cunningham (who previously tried to adapt the failed “Prime Suspect” for the network).

The premise:

Hench centers on a regular guy who, in order to support his family, gets jobs temping for super villains.

Now that’s a high-concept show. I wonder, though, given the title, will he be less of a “temp” and more of a “henchmen” type. You know, those nameless guys that the superhero always punches his way through without much trouble in comic books or TV shows, and who usually come dressed like all the rest of the main villain’s henchmen? But the description says it’s a drama, which is interesting. That kind of premise usually lends itself to a comedy. Possibly a 30-minute “The Tick”-like show.

NBC has put the show in development, so let’s see where it goes. It can’t be any worst than NBC’s last superhero show “The Cape”, can it?

Update: Steve in the comments section mentioned that it sounds an awful lot like a comic called “Hench” from Adam Beechen and Manny Bello. The trade article doesn’t mention that it’s based on the comic, but after reading “Hench” the comic’s synopsis, it sure sounds like the same idea.